Steam-trap



H. J. HINCHEY.

STEAM TRAP.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.2, 1919.

Patented Nov. 8, 1921.

3W Jar)? J 7 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE."

HARRY J. HINCHEY, OF ATLANTA, GEORGIA, ASSIGNOR '10 WRIGHT-AUSTIN COM- PANY, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN. I

STEAM-TRAP.

Application filed August 2, 1919.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, HARRY J. HINonnY, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Atlanta, in the county of Fulton and State of Georgia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Stean1 Traps, of which the following is a specificatlon, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

he invention consists of a steam trap designed to operate under a very wide range of pressures and which will handle a maximum volume ofwater for a given size of trap; and it consists in the employment of a Venturi tube in the return passage and-in the combination and arrangement. of the various parts as hereinafter more specifically described.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a vertical, central, longitudinal section through a trap embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a section on line 0202 of Fig. l; and F Fig. 3 is a detail section on line g of 1 I have shown my invention applied to the well-known type of bucket trap, with some modifications: A representing the casing, the interior of which forms the water re ceptacle for the water and steam finding inlet through the opening B. In this water receptacle is a bucket, C, hinged at D to a lug, E, preferably carried by the top F. G is an outlet opening in the top, to which is connected the depending pipe, H, which extends to near the bottom of the bucket C. This bucket is preferably provided with a well a, so that the bucket will be most thoroughly cleared out in the return operation of the water. I

I may have any suitable means of determining the movement of the bucket C; a set screw I being shown passing through the bottom of the casing, against which the bucket will drop in its lower position. This lower position can be determined by raising and lowering the set screw.

In the return connection from the trap, I arrange a Venturi tube. In this embodiment of my invention I have shown the 'iYenturi tube as formed in the top F of the ,casing, at G, there being a full-size tubular inlet, 6, at one end connecting with the pipe 11, endel 9 fi b a t e h r end I Specification of Letters Patent.

times the diameter of the Patented Nov. 8, 1921. Serial No. 314,943.

I have found that in order to get the best results which I have so far obtained with thi Venturi tube, the inlet portion of the tube, which I have here letter (Z, should hav a length equal to twice the diameter of the pipe size, and the outlet portion, 0, four pipe size. .The best proportion for the throat of the Venturl tube depends upon the size of thepipe, but for one-half inch pipe, .I preferably use a seventhirty-second inch throat, for one inch (1) pipe, eleven-thirtysecond inch throat; and substantially such ratio for the other sizes, although the exact size, as before stated, can best be determined by actual test.

I prefer to have a valve controlling the exit water from the water receptacle, which I preferably locate at the throat of the Venturi tube. At the throat in present construction, I have shown a cross-bore, J in which is placed a valve, K, preferably cylindrical and which is secured by a suitable connecting rod, L, with the bucket C. This valve is provided with an aperture, h, which, when the bucket drops, is alined with the throat of the Venturi tube, and when it rises, is out of alinement therewith. I have shown in the valve some annular grooves. 2', on either side of the port, which act as'sealing rings or sealing grooves for the valve.

I have shown a passage, N, leading from the top of the water receptacle to the top of the port J, so as to counterbalance the pressure on the valve. This I have illustrated in Fig. 3.

The operation of the device is as follows:

The steam entering through the passage B, preferably strikes some deflector to keep it from going directly into the bucket; which deflector may be the bracket or lug E. As the water accumulates in the water receptacle, it will finally rise above the level of the bucket and flow therein until it has overcome the buoyancy of the bucket, when the bucket will drop against the stop, I, and the valve will be correspondingly lowered to register the port, it, with the throat of the venturi. The steam pressure within the tank will then force the water out through the pipe H, opening the passageway, a and b, and through the venturi t0 the desired receptacle for the water of condensation.

I fi nd that with thi construction of trap,

charge the maximum quantity of Water through a practically unlimited range of V pable of operating for a long vto scale, one-half size,

' therefrom,

"therefrom, a

This operation is made possible by reason of the venturi and the valve at the throat of the venturi, whereby with the maximum discharge of water, the exposed area of the valve is the minimum, so that the pressure exerted upon the valve by the discharging water is the minimum when the valve is being closd. Thus the valve may be more easily opened. The construction is also simple, cheap to manufacture, and caperiod of time With a minimum of wear.

The drawing filed herewith is practically' of an actual trap constructed by me.

I claim--- 1. In a steam trap, the combination with the water chamber of a return passage a Venturi tube in said return passage and a valve at the throat of said Venturi tube.

thecombination with of a return passage Venturi tube in said return passage, and a balanced valve at the throat of said Venturi tube.

3. In a steam trap,

2. In a steam trap, the Water chamber,

the combination with therein,

the water chamber thereof, a movable bucket 7 said bucket, a Venturi tube in the return passage connected with said outgoing tube,

and a Valve at the throat of the venturi, controlled by said bucket. a

4:. In a steam trap, the combination with the body having a chamber therein, an ingoing connection thereto, a movable bucket therein, an outgoing pipe connected tothe top and depending into the bucket, a passage across the top into which the depending pipe connects, a Ventur'i tube in said top passage, a valve at the throat of the venturi,

and a connection from the bucket-to said 1 valve. I r r 5. In a steam trap, the combination with the water chamber, of a return passage therefrom including a tubular portion and a Venturi portion, said Venturi portion having its inlet portion of a lengthr'approximately twice the diameter of said tubular portion and also having its outlet portion of a length approximately four times the diameter of said tubular portion, and a valve at the throat of said Venturi, portion.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

HARRY J. IHINGHEY.

an outgoing tube depending into 7 

